


Miscegenation

by mayfield84



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Bullying, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Lumax, Period-Typical Racism, Protective Max, so much love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-07-25
Packaged: 2020-07-19 16:21:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19976995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayfield84/pseuds/mayfield84
Summary: Max loves her boyfriend, and she would do anything for him. The feelings are mutual. But what happens when decades of racial prejudice threaten their relationship?





	Miscegenation

**Author's Note:**

> this was a prompt from the lovely Lumax85 who requested: “Lucas having an encounter with some bullies who mock him (and maybe even rough him up a little) due to his colour. He tells Max she shouldn't have to suffer even more abuse just because she's in a relationship with a black boy, but she assures him that she loves him and is not about to leave him for anything.” i was so inspired by this i had to write it right away.
> 
> the racial slurs used in this fic in no way represent my personal beliefs- they are simply an depiction of period-typical behaviors that are immoral and gross. you have been warned.

Max opened her locker and threw her extra books in. It was a Monday morning just after 3rd period she was _not_ having it; Billy and Neil spent all night arguing about god knows what and she had the eye bags to prove it. 

“Hey Max,” a warm voice greeted as she felt lean arms wrap around her waist from behind. Max looked over her shoulder to see her boyfriend of one year, Lucas.

“Hey Stalker,” she hummed in response. Surprise hugs from behind were the best- even better when your boyfriend had firm, muscular arms.

Lucas gave her neck a soft kiss before releasing her- he couldn’t help it. He just loved how she always smelled of cinnamon and happiness. He then leaned on the locker adjacent to see her better as she organized her books for the day. 

“You wanna hit the arcade after school today? I hear they’re installing a new machine,” he suggested, his brown eyes sparkling with excitement. The prospect of a new challenge was something he knew Max could never refuse.

“You’re on,” the redhead responded decidedly. She then closed her locker and slipped her hand into Lucas’, pulling him along to walk her to her next class. They always enjoyed the small amount of time they had together between blocks, as they didn’t really share many classes.

But there were a few instances in which these transitions were less than an ideal way to spent time with your boyfriend. 

And it just so happens today was one of those days.

“Hey, Inky!” The two heard a dreadfully familiar voice call out, and they both spun around to face the infamous Troy, backed up by his lackey James. Lucas felt Max’s hand tighten around his.

“Inky,” he repeated, “please tell me, I’m dying to know: Does Little Red Riding Hood’s carpet match the drapes?” Troy taunted, placing one of his hands on his head and the other on his crotch, just in case they didn’t understand the joke. 

They understood just fine.

“Don’t give them the satisfaction, Lucas,” Max whispered, giving his hand another tight squeeze. But the boys were relentless today.

“Hey Little Red, aren’t you scared you’ll be stuck with alone 3 kids living on welfare? You know guys like Inky here never stick around long,” James added, both of the boys casually drifting closer. Lucas could barely feel Max’s hand squeezing his anymore; most of his body had gone numb.

“Aren’t you scared people are going to hate you for spoiling your bloodline? Gross miscegenation will rule out that beautiful red hair gene, after all,” Troy continued, then dared to reach out and gently stroke the side of Max’s head, feeling a few soft strands of her coppery hair between his fingers.

“Don’t you dare touch her,” Lucas growled, instinctively dropping his girlfriends hand and balling his into fists.

“Hey hey, woah, I didn’t mean any for trouble here,” Troy backed up with his hands raised, as though he had just been caught by the cops, “I’m just doing what’s best for our own resident Little Red,” he said with a wink. Max looked on with disgust but didn’t respond.

For her boyfriend, on the other hand, that was the last straw. Lucas rolled up his sleeves and with all the power of 4 years of bullying finally punched the living daylight out of Troy. He felt his fist come in contact with the kid’s face with a satisfying  _thwack_ ,  followed by a laugh. That was not the first time one of Troy’s victims tried standing up for himself, so he was used to the hit. It was standard, basic even.

“Oh,  _Inky_ , you’re going to regret that,” Troy spat as he wiped blood from his mouth. With a quick, strong movement, the bully had Lucas pinned to the lockers with both of his arms held firmly against the wall by the wrists.

Lucas faintly heard Max cry out for him. It wasn’t long before she took a grab at Troy,and hadn’t noticed James standing idly by. Big mistake. He easily caught her thin wrist, then apprehended the other one too, before twisting both of her arms behind her back.

“We would never hit a girl, but don’t think that little attempt of yours did your Negro boyfriend any good,” James hissed, nodding at Troy, who then tightened his grip. Now that Max couldn’t move, he could do whatever he wanted to hurt Lucas.

Lucas could feel him released one of his wrists before Troy punched him squarely in the jaw. But he couldn’t really feel it. A mixture of anger and adrenaline made his body go numb: all that mattered was surviving this fight.

At this point a large crowd had gathered, even though the late bell had already sounded. Nobody cared. Fights like this didn’t happen often, surprisingly enough, but when they did, they were celebrated events.

“Take back what you said about her. You can say whatever you want about me, but-“ Lucas was cut off by another _thwack_ from Troy. He could faintly hear Max’s yelling from where James had her apprehended, but he couldn’t tell what she was saying. He tasted the metallic tang of blood filling his mouth. 

“Shut up and let me punch you,” Troy hissed, taking another swing at the dark-skinned boy. This time, Lucas caught his hand and directed it away from its intended target just in time.

“What in the name of God is going on here?” A large voice boomed over the murmuring crowd. Troy and James released Lucas and Max, respectively. The sea parted to reveal the Chief of Police. 

“Shit, I forgot he was here doing that drug screening thing today,” Troy muttered under his breath.

“Just our luck,” James responded quietly. How ironic he would say that.

“You two,” Chief Hopper pointed at the bullies, “come with me to the office. Right now,” he demanded.

“You,” he pointed at Max, “get this young man cleaned up. I will speak to the two of you later.”

The redhead gave him a small nod of appreciation and took Lucas’ limp hand. She led him through the hallway, ignoring the suspicious whispers and cautionary looks, to their favorite meeting place under the stairwell.

“Stay here, I’ll be right back,” she promised, sitting him down and giving him a soft kiss on his forehead. Within a few moments, she was back with a few damp paper towels.

“Max, stop,” Lucas murmured as she began dabbing at his wounds. His face was swelling up, there would be bruising, and there were a few cuts from Troy’s class ring as well.

“Stop what?” Max asked curiously, carrying on normally as she finished cleaning the wounds. Then, she opened her backpack to find her first aid kit.

Lucas knew she was never without one. She always claimed it was for skateboarding.

Max took out one of the alcohol wipes and gently cleaned the open cuts. He could barely feel the stinging.

“Max, please, just, stop for a second,” he demanded, physically pushing her away from him. “We can’t keep doing this,” Lucas continued, his voice sounding grim. He couldn’t bring his gaze to meet her own.

“I’m not sure I know exactly what you mean by that,” Max said softly, fiddling with the alcohol wipe in her hands, slightly comforted by its familiar scent.

“I  _mean_ I can’t keep dragging you down. When we’re together people always judge us, and I’m used to that; I’m used to being judged. But I don’t want to be the reason people give you dirty looks. You get enough of the fighting and the judgement at home, it’s not fair to make you face hostility to school too. You don’t deserve that.” He cried out, tears forming in his usually warm brown eyes. Max’s heart cracked.

“Lucas, what are you talking about? You know I’ve never cared about what anyone else has to say,” Max insisted, sitting down next to him. He buried his face in his hands while his elbows rested on his knees.

“It’s not just about the judgement anymore though!” He yelled, facing her directly. Tears now fell from his swollen cheeks. “Y-You could have gotten hurt because of me. You shouldn’t have to deal with more abuse just because you’re dating a black boy!”

Her cracked heart shattered, but she kept her composure strong.

“Lucas, baby, look at me.”

He did. 

Max took both of his hands into hers and gazed at him with such intensity he thought he would melt like a popsicle in the hot sun.

“I love you and there is nothing in the _world_ that could stop me from doing just that. I’m not going to break up with you or let you break up with me because the relationship is too hard. Other people can weigh in all they want, but nothing, _nothing_ could stop me from loving you. And _that_ is what's important. Nothing else,” Max swore to him, her voice steady, as though the had never been more sure of anything. It was likely she hadn’t.

More tears fell from Lucas’ face as he peered into Max’s eyes. What she had just told him was the honest truth, and one that was hard to deny. Hell, it was _impossible_ to deny. He loved her and picturing even a day without her made a tight pain seize his chest. But he had almost gotten her injured. And that thought drove him insane.

“I can’t imagine what I would feel like if you had gotten hurt,” he responded quietly, his tone wavering.

“Yeah, but I  didn’t . And even if I had, I can take care of myself. You know that,” she murmured, finally allowing herself to resume cleaning his wounds with the alcohol wipe. He didn’t stop her this time.

“I don’t want you to have that risk in the first place.”

“Yeah, well, the world is a pretty fucked up place, isn’t it?” Max states simply, putting down the bloodied alcohol wipe and picking out the bruise cream, putting a small dollop on her fingers before smoothing it onto his face. The cooling sensation felt nice against his hot skin.

“The fact that two people in love have to fear for their own and each other’s safety whenever they go out in public together just because they’re in love is complete bullshit. But it’s the way the world works, and I know you know that,” she said softly. Her voice soothed Lucas like a lullaby. “But that’s why we have to keep being strong, being the bigger people. We need to be the change we want to see in the world.”

“God, I hate it when you’re right,” Lucas murmured with a sigh, even though she was right most of the time. Or at least, that’s what he let her think.  “It’s annoying how much I care about you.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’re the worst too, Stalker. But I couldn’t imagine myself with anyone else,” Max smiled and leaned in for a kiss, which her boyfriend happily reciprocated. They sat in silence for a few moments; the quiet was nice. Max let out a contented sigh and leaned her head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arm around her waist.

“How long do you think we have before Hop wants to talk to us?” Lucas asked, suddenly very quiet. His eyes were wide and innocent-looking as he stared at Max.

“Well, he’s been talking to Troy and James for the last 15 minutes, and if they’re not done by now, I assume they won’t be done for a while.”

“Good, ‘cause that gives me plenty of time to do this,” Lucas smiled mischievously before wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her on top of his lap, her legs straddling him. She squeaked in surprise.

“Hey! What do you-“

He kissed her deeply with all of the love he had. And she kissed him back just as fiercely.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for all of your lovely prompts and suggestions! keep them coming my way- writing these two is one of my favorite things to do :)


End file.
